Please Protect Her
by kisshuismylife
Summary: Ichigo finds a six-month-old baby on her doorstep one morning, with a note asking her to protect the little girl. Ichigo's life just got much more complicated...
1. Chapter 1

**Please Protect Her**

Ichigo woke up one nice spring morning, and found her parents gone again. Sighing, she got up and started getting ready for school. School hadn't been pleasant lately; Moe and Miwa got suspended for nearly killing Aoyama after he told her he couldn't date an unpopular lowlife, and now all the girls were out to get her. On top of that, Ryou had told her that she had to work late the entire week, since she had been fifteen minutes late for work on Sunday. _Sometimes I just wish I could die…. _she thought miserably. _My life is hell. _Little did she know, things were about to get more complicated.

As she went to the front door, she heard a soft mewing sound from outside. Hesitantly opening the door, her jaw dropped.

On the doorstep was a baby girl in a basket. She couldn't have been more than six months old, and she had tiny pointed ears, suggesting she wasn't human. Ichigo suddenly noticed there was a note attached to the blanket in the basket, and picked up the basket, baby and all, and took it inside. Then she looked at the note. All it said was, _'Please protect Tsukiko. I'll try to be back soon.'_

Ichigo sighed. There was no signature, and she couldn't very well leave a six-month-old alone, whether she was human or not. Ichigo picked up the basket again, and saw that Tsukiko was sleeping. She went back to her room, and thought about what to do next. She couldn't really go to school or work; not that she wanted to. Getting an idea, she picked up her cell phone, and dialed the Café's number.

Ryou picked up after two rings, and asked, _"Shouldn't you be at school?"_

"I'm quitting," Ichigo said. "I just thought I'd let you know that I have more important things to do than serve cake to people, so I'm no longer your employee, and you can come pick up my pendant whenever you want."

"_Y-you can't be serious, you know we need you," _Ryou said, sounding stunned.

"Too bad," Ichigo said.

"_What brought this on, anyways?" _Ryou asked.

"Finding a six-month-old baby girl on my doorstep this morning," Ichigo said. "And my parents aren't home. Not to mention you're the most evil person I know."

"_Ichigo, there's no way you can take care of a six-month-old by yourself," _Ryou said. _"Where did she even come from?"_

"How should I know?" Ichigo asked. "All the note said was, "Please protect Tsukiko. I'll try to be back soon." There was no signature."

Ryou sighed and said, _"I'm sending Keiichiro over to see what's going on; I have a feeling I'll get the door slammed in my face if I come over, right?"_

"Yes, but Keiichiro's nice, so I'll let him in," Ichigo said.

"_Good, he'll be there soon," _Ryou said, and hung up.

Ichigo sighed and put her phone back on her desk. Then she looked at Tsukiko, as the little girl yawned, showing tiny fangs. Then she opened her eyes, which were a pretty blue, with slit pupils. _I guess she's a Cyniclon, then, _Ichigo thought. Noticing Tsukiko's hair was covered, Ichigo hesitantly took the little cap off- and her eyes widened. The baby's hair was the exact same shade as Kisshu's. Ichigo put the cap back on Tsukiko's head, thinking. _If she's related to Kisshu, that explains why she was left with me, _Ichigo thought. _But what's going on, and who is Tsukiko, anyways? Maybe she's his sister or something… but wouldn't it be safer to leave her with family? This is so strange…._

The doorbell rang as Ichigo thought this, and she said, "Tsukiko, stay put." The little girl looked at her solemnly, as if she understood, and Ichigo smiled, then ran to get the door. Sure enough, it was Keiichiro, and he asked, "Ichigo, where's the baby?"

"My room," Ichigo said. "Come in."

Keiichiro came in and followed her upstairs. They went to Ichigo's room, and Ichigo gently took Tsukiko out of her basket, cradling her in her arms. Keiichiro came over, then asked softly, "Ichigo, she's a Cyniclon, isn't she?"

"Yes," Ichigo said. "Please don't tell Ryou, you KNOW what he'll do."

Keiichiro sighed. "Do you have any ideas on what happened?" he asked. "I won't share anything with Ryou that you don't want me to; I agree with Lettuce, to be honest. And I can get you baby stuff."

"Thanks," Ichigo said. Then she sighed, and said softly, "I think she's related to Kisshu somehow. Her hair is the exact same shade of green as his is. If her eyes were gold, she'd be Kisshu in miniature."

"I think you may have stepped on a landmine," Keiichiro said. "That note probably wasn't signed for a reason. You're going to need to keep this from everyone, and I'll do the same."

"What about Ryou?" Ichigo asked.

"I'll keep him away from you and Tsukiko," Keiichiro said. "And I'll tell the other Mews that they have to do the same. I won't tell them about your suspicions on Tsukiko's identity. There's only one person I trust to keep the secret."

"Who is it?" Ichigo asked.

"Zakuro," Keiichiro said. "She and I are dating. Don't tell anyone, please."

"I won't," Ichigo said. "So you'll tell her?"

"Yes, and if you need help, I want you to contact her," Keiichiro said. "Do you have her number?"

"It's in my phone," Ichigo said.

"Good," Keiichiro said. "I'll go buy you some diapers and stuff."

"Thanks, Keiichiro," Ichigo said.

"You're welcome," Keiichiro said. "I'll be back soon." He left, and Ichigo looked down at Tsukiko. She looked back solemnly, and Ichigo smiled. "I'll take good care of you, Tsukiko," she said softly. "I promise."

Tsukiko smiled cutely, and Ichigo giggled. "Tsukiko, can you say 'Ichigo'?" she asked.

"Ichi?" Tsukiko asked.

"That was close," Ichigo said. "Ichi-go."

"Ichigo!" Tsukiko said happily. "Ichigo! Ichigo!"

"Good job, Tsukiko!" Ichigo said. Her smile faded, though, as teleportation sounded in the room. She tensed, waiting to see who it was.

It turned out to be Kisshu, and he looked panicked. "Kisshu, what's going on?" Ichigo asked.

"There's no time," Kisshu said. "We need to go; I'll explain when we get to the dimension I created." He grabbed her shoulder and teleported.

They landed in what looked like a bedroom, and Kisshu immediately let go of Ichigo, and ran out. A few minutes later, he came back and closed the door, looking slightly calmer. "I can explain this now that this dimension is hidden and sealed," he said.

"Okay," Ichigo said.

Kisshu sighed and said, "Deep Blue apparently never intended to help my people, and I found out. I told Pai, and showed him proof, but I didn't realize that Deep Blue had brainwashed him, so he told Deep Blue I was a danger. My parents had come for a visit, bringing my new sister to meet me, and Deep Blue captured them, leaving Tsukiko behind by accident. I had to find somewhere safe for Tsukiko, so I took her to your house. I knew you wouldn't turn her away no matter what, so I left her on your doorstep and went to try to free my parents. Unfortunately, Deep Blue had brainwashed them too, as well as everyone else I know. There's no one left who can help me defeat Deep Blue, so I came to find you, since you were Deep Blue's next target, and got you and Tsukiko out of there before he could brainwash or kill you. This is probably the only safe place anywhere, so I think we'll need to stay here."

"But what about the others?" Ichigo asked.

"The Mews were next on the list of people to get brainwashed," Kisshu said. "You and I can't defeat all of them and take care of Tsukiko. And if Tsukiko gets captured while we're fighting, we'll be screwed."

Ichigo sighed. "So I guess we'll be here a while?" she asked.

"Yeah…." Kisshu said sadly. "I can't go back to Earth and kill Deep Blue's human host and still protect this dimension."

"Who is it?" Ichigo asked.

"Treehugger," Kisshu said.

Ichigo thought, then said, "My school friends want him dead; maybe we could ask them to kill him?"

"How are they going to get away?" Kisshu asked. Ichigo drooped. Before she could say anything, though, Kisshu said, "Someone's trying to access this dimension."

"Just one?" Ichigo asked.

"Yeah, and I don't think whoever it is can teleport; they're using some kind of machine," Kisshu said.

"My guess would be Ryou," Ichigo said- just as they heard teleportation. To their surprise, Keiichiro was the one who appeared, and he was carrying a bag and a machine.

"Why are you here?" Kisshu asked warily.

"I told Ichigo I'd bring her some baby stuff for Tsukiko, so I used the portal machine to get to her," Keiichiro said. "Did something happen?"

"Yeah, Deep Blue brainwashed everyone, and I'm guessing the Mews are brainwashed too," Kisshu said. "I'm guessing you didn't get brainwashed because you don't pose a threat to him."

"Well, it's probably better that way," Keiichiro said. "Is there a way to defeat him?"

"His human host is apparently Aoyama," Ichigo said. "If we kill him, Deep Blue will also die."

"Then I'd suggest that Kisshu goes to do that, and you and I can stay and take care of Tsukiko," Keiichiro said.

"If I leave, this dimension will be unprotected, and the others could get in," Kisshu said.

"I can fight if that happens," Ichigo said. "You should go, you've got the best chance of getting away with this."

Kisshu sighed. "Promise you'll take good care of Tsukiko," he said.

"I promise," Ichigo said.

"So do I," Keiichiro added.

"Alright," Kisshu said. He teleported out, and landed in a park. Looking around, he saw Aoyama standing under a tree- like he'd been waiting for Kisshu to come. Kisshu took out his sais, tensing as Aoyama started to glow. Unsurprisingly, he turned into the Blue Knight, and took out his sword. Then he lunged at Kisshu.

Kisshu leaped back to avoid being stabbed, then lunged in, managing to slice the Blue Knight's shoulder. To his worry, the Blue Knight didn't appear fazed; he lunged at Kisshu as if nothing had happened. This time, however, Kisshu didn't dodge fast enough, and the Blue Knight slashed his right arm open.

_**Back with Ichigo, Keiichiro, and Tsukiko: **_They were sitting on Kisshu's bed, watching Tsukiko sleep, when she suddenly woke up and started wailing. Ichigo gently picked her up and started rocking her, but she didn't stop. "I wonder why she's so upset," Ichigo said.

"Could it be that she's sensing something happening to Kisshu?" Keiichiro asked. "They are related, after all."

Ichigo looked worried, and said, "If that's the case, I need to go help him."

"Tsukiko's attached to you," Keiichiro commented. "I'll go. Not many people know, but I can use a sword."

"And where are you going to get one?" Ichigo asked.

Keiichiro reached into the bag he had brought, and took out what looked like a dagger. He pressed a button on the hilt, and it lengthened into a sword. "I designed this, in case I needed to fight," he said.

"Are you sure about this?" Ichigo asked.

"Positive," Keiichiro said. "Take care of Tsukiko."

"Okay," Ichigo said. She looked down at the little girl, who was still crying slightly. Keiichiro took the machine he had brought with him, and pressed a few buttons, then opened up a portal and stepped into it.

_**With Kisshu: **_Kisshu was fighting left-handed, but the loss of blood was starting to get to him. Suddenly he heard teleportation, and he and the Blue Knight looked over as Keiichiro appeared. To Kisshu's shock, Keiichiro was holding a sword, and he said, "Blue Knight, I know your weakness."

"Oh really?" the Blue Knight scoffed. "What is it?"

"Your sword," Keiichiro said.

The Blue Knight's smirk dropped off his face, and he lost interest in Kisshu, lunging at Keiichiro instead. Kisshu was getting dizzy as he watched Keiichiro block a strike from the Blue Knight. The Blue Knight tried to push Keiichiro's blade down, and Keiichiro pushed back, then suddenly broke the contact, causing the Blue Knight to stumble. Keiichiro took the opportunity to cut the Blue Knight's hand off. His sword fell to the ground, and abandoning his own blade, Keiichiro picked up the Blue Knight's, and as the Blue Knight staggered, he stabbed him through the heart.

The Blue Knight screamed, and then his body went up in smoke. Keiichiro shielded his face until the smoke cleared, and saw a scorch mark and a ball of Mew Aqua where the Blue Knight had been. He picked up the Mew Aqua and went over to Kisshu, who was unconscious. The bleeding on his arm had slowed, but he had lost a lot of blood, and Keiichiro knew that the amount of Mew Aqua he had was going to be too much for Kisshu's body to handle. Sighing, he tore a strip of his shirt off, and bandaged Kisshu's injury. Then he grabbed the portal machine, which was miraculously not broken, and set it to get him to Ichigo. He picked up Kisshu, and stepped into the portal.

Ichigo was waiting, having succeeded in calming Tsukiko down, when Keiichiro came in with Kisshu. "What HAPPENED!?" Ichigo asked.

"The Blue Knight slashed Kisshu's arm open," Keiichiro said. "I killed him, though. His weakness was his sword; without it, he was powerless."

"Wow…." Ichigo said. "I hope that snapped the brainwash on the others."

"Me too," Keiichiro said, setting Kisshu down on the bed.

A few minutes later, they heard teleportation, and Pai appeared, looking panicked. "Is Kisshu okay?" he asked.

"Not so much," Keiichiro said. "He's got a pretty bad gash on his arm, and he lost a lot of blood."

Pai came over and unwrapped Keiichiro's make-shift bandage, then put a hand on Kisshu's injury, and started healing it. Ten minutes later, he sighed and said, "You're right, he did lose a lot of blood. We should take him back to the ship. Are you coming?"

"I can set the portal machine to get us there; you should take Kisshu," Keiichiro said. "We'll come to the main room."

"Alright," Pai said. He gently picked up Kisshu and teleported. Ichigo picked up Tsukiko again and got up as Keiichiro reset the portal machine. Keiichiro opened up another portal, and they stepped through, landing in the main room of the Cyniclons' ship a minute later.

Soon after they landed, they heard teleportation, and a woman with green hair and blue eyes appeared. She looked relieved when she saw them, and came over. "Is Tsukiko okay?" she asked.

"I think she's fine," Ichigo said. "Are you her mom?"

"Yes, I'm Kisshu and Tsukiko's mom, Anzu," the woman said. "Are you Ichigo?"

"Yes, nice to meet you," Ichigo said. "Do you want Tsukiko back?"

"Please," Anzu said. Ichigo handed Tsukiko over, and the little girl woke up, making a soft mewing sound. Anzu smiled, and asked, "Do you like your new sister, Tsukiko?"

Tsukiko smiled and said, "Ichigo!"

Anzu giggled, but that faded as Pai teleported in. "How's Kisshu?" Ichigo asked.

"I gave him a blood transfusion, but he's still very weak," Pai said. "He should be fine if he rests, though."

Anzu, Ichigo, and Keiichiro all sighed, relieved. Pai turned to Keiichiro, noticing the ball of Mew Aqua, and asked, "Where did you find that?"

"That's what was left after I killed the Blue Knight," Keiichiro said. "I'm SO glad I learned to use a sword."

"YOU'RE the one who killed him?" Pai asked, shocked.

"I knew his weakness ahead of time; it wasn't too hard," Keiichiro said. "Take his sword away, and he'd be powerless."

"Wow…" Pai said.

"I was thinking that you could use this to heal your planet," Keiichiro said. "With Deep Blue dead, do you really need Earth if you can save your own planet?"

"That's a good point," Pai said. "I think that would work fine."

Ichigo sighed, and the others looked at her. "I'm going to be very lonely without Kisshu around…." she said.

"Do you not have parents?" Anzu asked.

"I do, but they spend all their time traveling, so I rarely see them," Ichigo said gloomily.

"Well, Tsukiko and Kisshu both really like you, and I know Kisshu doesn't want to be separated from you for too long; why don't we ask my husband if we can adopt you?" Anzu suggested.

Ichigo perked up, and asked, "Really?"

Anzu smiled, and said, "Sure. He's with Kisshu, come on." Ichigo followed her to what looked like a hospital room, and saw a tall Cyniclon man with black hair styled like Kisshu's sitting next to the bed Kisshu was in. He looked up, and asked, "Anzu, is this Ichigo?"

"Yes," Anzu said. "I want to adopt her; both our kids love her, and she says her parents spend their time traveling rather than taking care of her. Is that okay with you?"

"If you're fine with it, so am I," the man said. Looking at Ichigo, he said, "My name is Higashi, but you can call me Uncle Higashi."

"Thanks Uncle Higashi," Ichigo said. "I think it'll be nice to have a family."

Higashi smiled, and Anzu said, "Ichigo, you can call me Aunt Anzu, okay?"

"Okay," Ichigo said.

Anzu smiled and said to Higashi, "We're taking Mew Aqua back with us to heal Cyniclonia, since Deep Blue is dead now."

"That will please the Council," Higashi said. "They didn't really like having someone order them around."

"Good," Pai said from behind Ichigo. "Ichigo, do you have anything you need to pack?"

"What do I need?" Ichigo asked.

"I'd say just stuff like books and maybe toiletries," Anzu said. "It might be better if we got you some clothes once we get back to Cyniclonia. You've probably noticed we don't wear human clothing."

"Okay," Ichigo said. "I think I should say goodbye to my school friends, though; they'll have a fit if I don't, and Ryou will most likely die, which will land them in jail. I don't want them to go to jail for beating people up to find out what happened to me."

"Alright," Pai said. "I'll take you to your house, and you can pack and say goodbye. I'm taking Keiichiro back too, and telling Taruto it's time to go."

"Okay," Ichigo said. Pai took her hand and teleported to her room, setting her down before going back to get Keiichiro. Ichigo grabbed her cell phone and dialed Miwa's number. When the other girl picked up, she said, "Miwa, get Moe and come to my house, I've got important news."

"_On it," _Miwa said, and hung up. Ichigo took out a suitcase, and packed a bunch of books, sketchbooks, pencils and markers, and then went to the bathroom, where she got her comb and hairbrush, toothbrush and toothpaste, and a few other necessary items. She put them in the suitcase, and then heard the doorbell. She ran downstairs to get it, and found Moe and Miwa standing outside. She let them in, and Moe asked, "What's wrong?"

"You know I'm Mew Ichigo, don't you?" Ichigo asked.

"Yeah, we guessed a while back," Miwa said. "What happened?"

"We decided to form a truce with the aliens- or at least, Keiichiro and I did," Ichigo said. "And I fell in love with Kisshu, one of the aliens. His parents are going to adopt me, and I'm going back with them, since my parents are never here. I called you up so I could say goodbye in person."

Moe sighed, and said, "We'll miss you, but maybe you're right; you'll have a family now, besides just us. Good luck."

"Thanks," Ichigo said, smiling. "I'll miss you guys too." She hugged both of her friends, and as she was breaking off the hug, she heard Pai call, "Ichigo?"

"Downstairs," Ichigo called back.

They heard footsteps, and Pai came into the room. "These are your friends?" he asked.

"Yep, this is Moe, and Miwa," Ichigo said. "We just finished saying goodbye."

"Good," Pai said. "You can probably visit once in a while, so it's not like you'll never see each other again."

"That's good to know," Moe said. "Ichigo, take care. We have to get home, we kind of snuck out to see you."

"Thanks guys, you're the best," Ichigo said. Moe and Miwa hugged her together, and left. Ichigo went back upstairs, followed by Pai, and grabbed her suitcase. "Ready?" Pai asked.

"Ready," Ichigo said. Pai took her hand and teleported back to the ship, this time to a large green room. "This is Kisshu's room; you can stay here for the trip back," Pai said. "Aunt Anzu is probably going to be here soon too."

"Okay, thanks Pai," Ichigo said. "Is Aunt Anzu your real aunt?"

"Yeah, Kisshu and I are cousins," Pai said. "I have to go meet Uncle Higashi in the control room, so you should get settled for a bit. It's a nine-hour flight."

"Alright," Ichigo said. She set her suitcase down in a corner, and sat down on the sofa. Anzu teleported in soon after, and sat down next to her, holding Tsukiko. "How's Kisshu?" Ichigo asked her.

"Still unconscious," Anzu said. "I told Taruto to stay with him, so I could come keep you company."

"Wow, thanks," Ichigo said. "It's kind of hard to believe I'll be on another planet soon."

"That's what Kisshu said when he left," Anzu said, smiling. "I hope you'll be happy with us."

"I think I will be," Ichigo said.

"How did your friends take the news?" Anzu asked.

"Pretty well," Ichigo said. "They understood it was for the best. They've always understood me better than anyone else, and they usually seem to know exactly what's best for me. They're also very overprotective. And they beat up anyone who hurts me."

"Wow…" Anzu said.

They noticed Tsukiko was waking up, and she opened her eyes. "She's going to look exactly like you," Ichigo said.

"Maybe," Anzu said. "She's got the same eyes and hair, but you never know."

"I look a lot like my mom," Ichigo said. "She also has red hair and brown eyes. The only real differences between us are our height and the length of our hair."

"Wow, so you could almost be twins," Anzu said.

"Yep," Ichigo said, a bit sadly. "I wish they could have been there for me more, but as it is, I doubt they really care that much about having a kid."

"Well, you'll never have to worry about me or Higashi leaving you alone like that," Anzu said. "All parents on our planet stay with their kids no matter what."

"That sounds nice," Ichigo said softly. "I think I'll like your planet."

Anzu smiled and put an arm around Ichigo as the ship kept flying.

**I know the thing with Keiichiro killing the Blue Knight was a bit weird, but I liked it. If this gets continued, it won't be anytime soon, so for now I'll list it as Complete. And I hope you liked it!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Please Protect Her:**

**Part 2**

Kisshu was starting to wake up, and he felt really disoriented. Then he heard Taruto ask, "Kisshu?" He opened his eyes, and turned his head, realizing he was lying in a bed in the medical ward. Taruto was sitting next to him, looking worried. "Kisshu, how are you feeling?" Taruto asked. "You've been out for four hours."

"What happened?" Kisshu asked. "I feel really weak."

"After you passed out, Keiichiro killed the Blue Knight, and that snapped the brainwash on the rest of us," Taruto said. "Pai went to the dimension you created, and brought you back here."

"Is everyone okay?" Kisshu asked.

"Aside from you, everyone's fine," Taruto said. "Keiichiro gave us enough Mew Aqua to heal the planet, and went back to Earth."

"That's great," Kisshu said. "What about Ichigo? Is she okay?"

"Yup, and your parents adopted her, so she, Aunt Anzu, and Tsukiko are all in your room," Taruto said. "Pai and Uncle Higashi are flying the ship; I think we've got another five hours before we get to Cyniclonia."

"Ichigo's going to be living with me?" Kisshu asked hopefully.

"Looks like it," Taruto said. "I haven't seen Uncle Higashi, but Aunt Anzu really seems to like her- and so does Tsukiko. Mom's going to be jealous…."

"Yeah… she really wanted a daughter," Kisshu said. "And now her best friend has two daughters."

"Maybe Mom will get pregnant again," Taruto said. "Then I won't have to hear more stuff about how I was supposed to be a girl."

"I hope so," Kisshu said. He sounded tired, and Taruto noticed. "You should get more sleep, Kisshu," he said. "You need it to recover."

"You sound like Pai…." Kisshu said sleepily. Soon he was asleep again.

_**With Anzu, Ichigo, and Tsukiko: **_Ichigo had fallen asleep on Anzu's shoulder, and Anzu started stroking her hair. She was startled when Ichigo started purring, but kept stroking her hair. Soon Ichigo's purring had put her and Tsukiko to sleep as well.

_**About five hours later: **_Pai and Higashi landed the ship, and went to get the others. Higashi went to get Anzu, Ichigo, and Tsukiko, and found them all asleep. He gently tapped Anzu's forehead, then Ichigo's. They both woke up, and Anzu asked, "We're home?"

"Yep, and we've been called to meet with Hideki-sama," Higashi said.

"What about Kisshu?" Anzu asked.

"Pai's going to explain the situation, and Taruto's staying with him," Higashi said. "He needs his rest."

"Alright," Anzu said. "Ichigo, just copy what we do, and you'll be fine, okay?"

"Okay," Ichigo said. Higashi took her hand and teleported, followed by Anzu with Tsukiko.

They landed in a large circular room that was clearly underground. It was filled with Cyniclons, mainly middle-aged to elderly ones, and Higashi and Anzu went down on one knee, Ichigo copying them. A man about Higashi and Anzu's age stood, and said, "Please rise."

They obeyed, and the man asked, "How did it go on Earth?"

"It could have gone better, but at least we obtained the means to save this planet," Higashi said.

"And Deep Blue?" the man asked.

"He brainwashed everyone except Kisshu, Mew Ichigo, and her leader's assistant," Higashi said. "He also captured us in order to secure Kisshu's obedience, but it didn't work the way he thought it would. Kisshu went to kill him, and got injured, but luckily for all of us, Mew Ichigo somehow knew that Kisshu had been injured, and sent her leader's assistant to help. Keiichiro apparently can use a sword, and knew Deep Blue's weakness. He killed him, and found a large amount of Mew Aqua in the remains, which he gave to us in order to heal our planet."

"I was under the impression that humans don't have the same ability to sense people in danger that we do," the man said.

"Ichigo, is that true?" Higashi asked.

"Yes, the only reason I figured out Kisshu was in danger was that Tsukiko was crying non-stop, and she wouldn't calm down," Ichigo said. "Keiichiro suggested that Kisshu was in danger and Tsukiko could sense it, and he insisted on going to help. Apparently he knew that Deep Blue's weakness was his sword. If he took the sword away, Deep Blue would be powerless. Also, he was fighting the Blue Knight, who was a part of Deep Blue. Deep Blue hadn't fully awakened yet, so he was probably easier to defeat- especially after finding out a human knew his weakness."

"May I ask why you came back with Higashi and Anzu, Mew Ichigo?" the man asked.

"My real parents were… less than caring, and when Aunt Anzu offered to adopt me, I jumped at the chance to have a real family," Ichigo said. "Also, Kisshu and I love each other."

"Then you must be pretty special; Kisshu hates girls," the man said. "I'm Hideki-sama, by the way."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Ichigo said.

Hideki-sama smiled, and looked at Higashi. "Did you say something about having the means to save the planet?" he asked.

"Yes, we have Mew Aqua on the ship," Higashi said. "I can go get it, if you'd like."

"Please do," Hideki-sama said. "I would like to ask Mew Ichigo a few questions."

Higashi bowed and teleported out as Hideki-sama looked at Ichigo. "Mew Ichigo, why did you agree to form a truce?" he asked.

"I had been planning on it for a while," Ichigo replied. "My friend Mew Lettuce thought all along that the fighting was wrong, and she convinced me, but we didn't really act on it, because the guy who created us was an evil jerk with a vendetta against your race. I agreed to form a truce because I knew that the longer the fighting went on, the less chance your people would have of survival. The fighting was going nowhere, and I had figured out that I was in love with Kisshu, so forming a truce seemed like the best way to go."

"Do you think your creator will become a problem?" Hideki-sama asked.

"No, I don't think he could get here to cause problems," Ichigo said. "But he has no fighting abilities, so it probably wouldn't be too hard to defeat or kill him if something did happen."

Catching Ichigo off-guard a bit, Hideki-sama asked, "Is Mew Ichigo your real name?"

"No, my real name is Momomiya Ichigo, but I generally just go by Ichigo," Ichigo said. "Mew Ichigo is something I made up so I wouldn't get found out. I'm fairly certain if the Mews' true identities were found out, we'd get dissected. We're all half-human, half-animal; we'd probably get dissected to find out exactly how Ryou created us."

"Half-animal?" Hideki-sama asked.

"Yes, I'm half-cat," Ichigo said. "I'm not in Mew form right now, that's why I don't have cat ears and a tail."

"I see," Hideki-sama said, as they heard teleportation.

Higashi appeared with the ball of Mew Aqua, followed by Pai. They both bowed as they landed, and Hideki-sama asked, "You have that much?"

"Hai," Pai said. "Should we go outside? That's the best place to use it."

"Alright," Hideki-sama said. Pai teleported, followed by Pai, Anzu with Tsukiko, and Higashi with Ichigo.

They landed in a barren wasteland, and Ichigo shivered; it was cold. Pai put the Mew Aqua on the ground, and asked, "Ichigo, will you help me make it more powerful?"

"Sure," Ichigo said. She came over and put a hand on the Mew Aqua. She and Pai poured their powers into the Mew Aqua, and pushed it into the ground. The ground almost immediately started to glow, and the glow rapidly spread out as far as the eye could see, until everything was glowing. Ichigo started to feel warmer, and then the glow flashed. Everyone shaded their eyes, and when the flash faded, they looked up.

They were standing in the middle of a grassy field that went on for miles, split in two by a river. Behind them was a large, thick forest, and overhead, two suns shone down warmly.

The group was speechless until a small butterfly landed on Tsukiko, and she giggled. "This is amazing," Hideki-sama said. "Thank you all."

"We were more than happy to help," Pai said. "What's next?"

"I will inform everyone, and the Council will decide," Hideki-sama said. "For now, you all can go home."

The others bowed, and teleported off. Higashi, Anzu, Ichigo, and Tsukiko all landed in what looked like a living room. "This is our house," Anzu explained. "I'm going to put Tsukiko in her bed; Higashi, will you show Ichigo around?"

"Of course," Higashi said. "I assume she's sleeping in Kisshu's room?"

"Yes," Anzu said. She walked off, and Higashi asked, "Ichigo, should I show you where you'll be sleeping?"

"Sure," Ichigo said. Higashi led her to a small room with a bed, a desk, and a dresser. There was a floor lamp in the corner, and Higashi said, "We might have to get a second bed when Kisshu's recovered, but for now you can have his bed."

"Thanks, Uncle Higashi," Ichigo said. "I don't mind sharing a bed with Kisshu if you can't find a second bed."

"We'll see how responsible you and Kisshu are," Higashi said. "Although I'd be more worried about him than you."

Ichigo giggled. Higashi smiled, but then asked, "Ichigo, what were your parents like?"

"Up till I turned eleven, they were the world's nicest parents," Ichigo said sadly. "My dad was overprotective to the point of insane, but other than that he was great, and my mom was a lot like Aunt Anzu; sweet and caring. After I got over the health issues I had, though, both my parents started being less caring. I was eleven when they left me home alone for the first time. It was just over a weekend, but I realized by the first night that I really didn't like being alone like that. I tried to tell them that, but they just brushed it off. The next time they went away, they didn't say goodbye. I just got a note from them saying they were gone for a week. And by the time I met Kisshu, they were almost never home."

"That's awful," Higashi said. "But what did you mean by 'health issues'?"

"I was born a month early," Ichigo said. "And for the first nine years of my life, people had to be careful with me, because I was really fragile, both physically and emotionally. My school friends, Moe and Miwa, started protecting me after my parents told them I was fragile. By the time we reached middle school, they had a reputation for being merciless fighters, and for protecting me to the extreme. They taught themselves how to fight, and they've never been defeated. The police force calls them 'weapons of mass destruction', after they beat Miwa's cousin nearly to death. And they beat up his police officer uncle when he tried to stop them. Poor guy; he spent a month in the hospital, but his son didn't get out of the hospital for three months. I'll have to remember to visit; I wouldn't put it past them to somehow learn how to teleport and then get here."

"Wow…" Higashi said. "Do you still have health problems, though?"

"Not anymore, I grew out of them," Ichigo said. "I occasionally get sick, like everyone else, but I don't have anything else."

"Good," Higashi said, as Anzu came in.

"I put Tsukiko down for her nap," Anzu said. "Ichigo, would you like to meet my friend Yuki? She and her husband Hayako are Pai and Taruto's parents."

"I'd like that," Ichigo said. "Does she have any other kids?"

"No, unfortunately," Anzu said. "It's too bad, she really wanted Taruto to be a girl."

"Maybe she'll get pregnant again," Higashi said. "I'll stay with Tsukiko; say hi for me."

"We will," Anzu said. She took Ichigo's hand and teleported to a door in what looked like a tunnel. Ichigo had realized already that everyone lived underground, and she looked around as Anzu knocked on the door.

The door was opened by a woman who looked almost exactly like Taruto, and she smiled when she saw Anzu. "Anzu, you're back!" she said happily. "Who's this?"

"This is Ichigo, she's Kisshu's girlfriend," Anzu said. "We adopted her."

"It's nice to meet you, Ichigo," Yuki said. "Where are you from?"

"Tokyo," Ichigo said.

"The city Kisshu was attacking?" Yuki asked, startled.

"We've got a lot to talk about; can we come in?" Anzu asked.

"Yes, sorry about that," Yuki said, letting them in. She closed the door behind them, and asked, "So what's the story?"

"Ichigo is actually one of the girls who was attacking Kisshu, Pai, and Taruto, but apparently she and Kisshu fell in love, and she and her leader's assistant gave us the means to save the planet," Anzu said. "I adopted Ichigo because her real parents abandoned her, and Tsukiko and Kisshu love her. Tsukiko can even say Ichigo's name now!"

"Oh, that's wonderful," Yuki said. "I've got news as well."

"What is it?" Anzu asked curiously. "You seem very cheerful."

"I'm pregnant, I just found out the day after you left," Yuki said happily. "And you know what they say, third time's the charm."

"That's great!" Anzu said. "So what's your due date?"

"June 2nd," Yuki said. "Hayako said we should name her Mikan- provided it's a girl. If it's another boy, we'll name him Kinomi."

"I like the name Mikan," Ichigo said. "I hope you have a girl; then Tsukiko will have a little playmate."

"That's a great idea," Yuki said. "I just hope this one isn't like Taruto; he bit people as soon as he got fangs."

"I'm never going to hear the end of that, am I?" Taruto asked as he walked in the door.

"Well, it did hurt," Yuki said. "But it's more likely you'll hear about it from Kisshu than from me. How is Kisshu, by the way?"

"Not good, and Pai sent me to get all three of you," Taruto said. "He said he'd explain. We need to go."

Anzu nodded and took Ichigo's hand, then teleported to the medical ward of the ship, followed by Yuki and Taruto. "What's wrong?" Anzu asked Pai worriedly.

"Something's draining Kisshu's remaining energy, but I can't figure out what," Pai said. "And at this rate, the energy loss will kill him."

Yuki went over and put one hand on Kisshu's forehead, and the other on his chest. "You need more training, apparently," she told Pai. "The reason he's getting weaker is because he has a fever. Stay quiet."

The others obeyed as Yuki's hands began to glow. Kisshu's somewhat labored breathing returned to normal, and Yuki sighed after another fifteen minutes. "Pai, help me bring his energy levels up," she said. Pai went over and put his hand over hers, and they both began to glow.

Fifteen minutes later, they both took their hands away, and Yuki tapped Kisshu's forehead. He opened his eyes, and asked, "Aunt Yuki?"

"I'm here, how are you feeling?" Yuki asked.

"I'm feeling better," Kisshu said. "Before it felt like I could barely move."

"Can you sit up?" Yuki asked.

Kisshu sat up with no trouble, and said, "I feel fine, can I get up?"

Yuki put a hand on his chest, and said, "Yes, but no flying or teleporting till tomorrow, got it?"

"Got it," Kisshu said. He got out of bed, and looked startled to see Ichigo. "Koneko-chan?" he asked.

"Yeah?" Ichigo asked.

"Are you staying?" Kisshu asked.

"Of course," Ichigo said. "Is that okay?"

"That's great," Kisshu said happily. "We get to spend our lives together, and you get a real family."

"Yep," Ichigo said happily.

"And you'll have a new cousin soon," Yuki said.

"Aunt Yuki, you're pregnant?" Kisshu asked.

"Yup," Yuki said cheerfully.

"This one better not bite me, or you'll have to find another babysitter," Kisshu said warningly. "I don't like babysitting anyways."

"Why didn't Pai help?" Ichigo asked.

"He gave Taruto the evil eye, Taruto started wailing, and I couldn't get him to calm down until Pai went away," Kisshu said gloomily. "He'd better hope that doesn't happen when he and Lettuce get married."

"Pai, you've got an Earth girlfriend?" Yuki asked. "That's so sweet!"

Pai looked uncomfortable, and said, "Lettuce and I aren't exactly together…."

"Oh come on, you didn't confess before leaving?" Kisshu asked.

"Uh…." Pai said. "Taruto didn't either!"

"That's because I confessed about two weeks ago," Taruto said, smirking. "As soon as we get things in order here, you should go back and confess."

"Mmph," Pai said.

"While you work this out, I'm taking my kids home," Anzu said. "We have to find clothing for Ichigo."

"Let me know if you need help," Yuki said.

"Thanks, I will," Anzu said. She took Kisshu and Ichigo by the hands, and teleported back to their home.

**A bit shorter, and I know I said I couldn't get this out for a while, but I just couldn't resist. I hope you all like this!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Please Protect Her**

**Part 3**

When Anzu, Kisshu and Ichigo landed in the living room, Higashi came in, carrying Tsukiko. Tsukiko didn't seem very happy, and Higashi said, "Anzu, I think it's dinnertime for Tsukiko."

"Alright, thanks," Anzu said. She took Tsukiko, and went to the kitchen to feed her.

Higashi looked at Kisshu, and asked, "Kisshu, you're feeling better?"

"Yeah, Aunt Yuki and Pai healed me," Kisshu said. "I don't get to fly or teleport till tomorrow, though."

"Oh well," Higashi said. "It's almost five anyways; tomorrow will be here sooner than you think. You should still go to bed early, though."

"Alright," Kisshu said. "Do you know what we're having for dinner?"

"Pai stopped by with a bunch of human food, but I don't know what it is," Higashi said. "You might be cooking tonight."

"That's fine," Kisshu said. "It'll be nice not to have to chase Pai out of the kitchen for once."

"I take it he got bad habits without Yuki around to watch him?" Anzu asked, coming back with Tsukiko.

"Yeah, he kept going in the kitchen, and set off the smoke alarm fifty-five times," Kisshu said. "He also put sink cleanser into my tomato soup. That was awful…."

"Why did he do that?" Ichigo asked.

"He claimed he thought it was salt," Kisshu said gloomily. "We all spent all night throwing up. Even telling him we'd murder him if he went into the kitchen again didn't work."

"Yikes…." Ichigo said. "Does Pai have any common sense?"

"No," Kisshu said bluntly. "None at all."

"Kisshu, do you mind making dinner?" Anzu asked. "I want to take Ichigo to the Haryu's place; Mikoto's daughter might have some clothes from when she was Ichigo's age."

"Don't let Kino anywhere near Ichigo," Kisshu said.

Anzu just sighed, and took Ichigo's hand, then teleported to another door. She knocked, and the door was opened a few minutes later by a woman a bit older than Anzu. "Anzu, it's good to see you," she said. "Who's this?"

"This is my adoptive daughter, Ichigo," Anzu said. "Ichigo, this is Mikoto, she's a friend of mine."

"It's nice to meet you," Ichigo said.

"You too Ichigo," Mikoto said. "So what brings you two here?"

"Ichigo needs clothing; all she has is human clothing," Anzu said. "I was hoping Aoika had some from when she was Ichigo's age."

"She might," Mikoto said. "Come in."

Anzu and Ichigo followed her in, and to another door. Mikoto knocked, and called, "Aoika?"

The door was opened by a teenage girl who looked to be about eighteen. She had black hair in a braid over her shoulder, and she was wearing what Anzu and Mikoto wore; a long-sleeved calf-length dress with a high collar, and white leggings underneath. Her dress was red. "What's up, Mom?" she asked.

"Do you have any clothes that would fit Ichigo here?" Mikoto asked. "She's about two sizes smaller than you."

"They might be at the back of my closet, but I'm guessing so," Aoika said. "Ichigo, what happened to your ears?"

"I'm a human; Aunt Anzu and Uncle Higashi adopted me because Kisshu and I are together, and my own parents couldn't be bothered to take care of me," Ichigo said.

"Well, you're lucky; everyone knows Anzu is the sweetest person on the planet," Aoika said. "Come on, let's find you some clothes while Mom and Anzu catch up. They haven't seen each other since Anzu had Tsukiko, am I right?"

"That's right," Anzu said. "Ichigo, you'll be okay, right?"

"I'll be fine," Ichigo said. Aoika smiled happily and took Ichigo's hand, then pulled her into her room and closed the door. "This is going to be fun!" she said happily. "I always wanted a little sister to play dress-up with. Instead I got a bratty little brother…."

"Kisshu told Aunt Anzu to keep Kino away from me; is that your brother?" Ichigo asked as Aoika started digging around in her closet.

"Unfortunately, yes," Aoika sighed. "He hates Kisshu because Kisshu beat him at basically everything in school. He also used to bully Kisshu, until the teachers told him he'd never get into the military if he was a bully. He still didn't get into the military in the end, but at least he stopped bullying Kisshu." She pulled something out of her closet, and held it up. It was a pink dress similar to the one she was wearing, but with white bands around the cuffs and collar. "Is this okay?" she asked.

"It's really pretty," Ichigo said. "And pink is my favorite color!"

Aoika smiled. "Good," she said. "Let's find some leggings. Do you like other colors? I think that's the only pink dress I have; my favorites are red and blue."

"I like blue, green and yellow," Ichigo said.

"Okay," Aoika said. "Here's a pair of leggings; why don't you try these on to see if they fit?"

"Thanks," Ichigo said, taking the leggings. She took off her shoes, skirt and shirt, and pulled the leggings on, then pulled the dress over her head. It was loose, and very soft and comfortable. She straightened it out as Aoika pulled out four more dresses and five more pairs of leggings.

"You look great!" Aoika said happily. "I found two blue dresses, and one green and one pale yellow." She showed Ichigo, and Ichigo smiled. "Thanks, Aoika," she said. "These are really nice."

"I think I've got a pair of boots that might fit you too; let me look," Aoika said. "No offense, but those shoes are kind of strange. What are the strings for?"

"To keep them on," Ichigo said.

Aoika pulled a pair of black boots out of the closet, and said, "Try these on." Ichigo sat down and pulled the boots on, then stood up. "Wow, they're a perfect fit," she said. "They're really comfy, too."

"Good," Aoika said. "Now we're going to do your hair!"

"Why?" Ichigo asked, puzzled.

"Well, for one thing, one of the ribbons is half untied, but I've got an idea," Aoika said. "Come sit down, I'll brush your hair."

"Okay," Ichigo said. "Just so you know, people brushing my hair makes me purr, so don't get startled if I purr."

"Aww… that's so cute!" Aoika said. "Do all humans purr?"

"No, but I'm half cat, so getting petted or brushed makes me purr," Ichigo said. She sat down with Aoika, who took her ribbons out, and started brushing Ichigo's hair. After a few strokes, Ichigo did start purring.

"Have you ever thought about growing your hair longer?" Aoika asked.

"Yeah, but no matter how much I try, it never gets any longer than this," Ichigo said. "It's frustrating."

"Hmm…." Aoika said. "My mom's family has a little trick we use to get our hair longer faster; but I've never tried using it on anyone who's not a Cyniclon." She ran her fingers through Ichigo's hair, then said, "I think it'll work on you; your hair doesn't feel any different from a Cyniclon's. Do you want me to try?"

"You don't mind?" Ichigo asked.

"Nope, and then I'll have more to work with," Aoika said. "I don't know about humans, but among Cyniclon girls, long hair is prized. Also, around here, the only girls with that hairstyle aren't any older than five."

"I guess I've got a lot to learn," Ichigo said.

"You'll learn fast, I'm sure," Aoika said. "Is it okay if I use my long-hair trick?"

"Sure, that's fine," Ichigo said. She felt Aoika start running her fingers through her hair, and then Aoika started singing in a language Ichigo didn't understand. Ichigo suddenly realized Aoika was running her fingers through longer hair, and realized that her hair had grown already.

A few minutes later, Aoika said, "There we go. Your hair's about half-way down your back now."

"Wow…." Ichigo said. "That's cool, thank you!"

"Sure," Aoika said. "I like using that trick. It's also good for pranking Kino; he hates long hair. Now let's see…. I think it would be fun to braid your hair and braid ribbons into it, is that okay?"

"That sounds pretty!" Ichigo said.

"Alright," Aoika said. She picked up one of Ichigo's ribbons, looked at it critically, and said, "Your ribbons are a bit too short; can I use some of mine?"

"Sure," Ichigo said.

"Is green okay?" Aoika asked. "I think red won't show up."

"Green sounds nice," Ichigo replied. Aoika got up and took two green ribbons off her dresser, then came back and sat down behind Ichigo, and started braiding her hair with one of the green ribbon. When she finished, she tied the braid off with the other green ribbon, and said, "All set. Go look in the mirror!"

Ichigo got up and looked in the mirror on Aoika's dresser, then said, "Wow… This is amazing. Thanks, Aoika!"

Aoika smiled. "I'm glad you like it," she said. "Come on, get the other clothes and let's go show Mom and Anzu."

Ichigo gathered up the other clothes and her sneakers, and followed Aoika to the kitchen. Anzu and Mikoto looked up, and Anzu smiled. "I see it went well," she said. "Ichigo, you look great!"

"All thanks to Aoika," Ichigo said.

Anzu smiled and said, "Thanks, Aoika."

"Sure," Aoika said. "Let me know if you need anything else; this was fun!"

"I can tell, you used the long-hair trick on her," Mikoto said. "Anzu got a call saying dinner's ready at her house, so she and Ichigo have to go now."

"Okay," Aoika said. "Ichigo, it was nice to meet you; you should come over again soon."

"I'll try," Ichigo said. "I had fun too."

Aoika smiled happily, and Anzu got up, then took Ichigo's hand and teleported to their kitchen. Kisshu and Higashi looked up, and Kisshu's jaw dropped. "Wow…." he said after a minute. "Koneko-chan, you're gorgeous."

Ichigo blushed, and said, "Thanks Kisshu."

Higashi smiled and said, "You do look nice, Ichigo."

"Thanks!" Ichigo said happily. "Where should I put my new clothes?"

"You can put them on the bed in Kisshu's and your room for now," Anzu said. "We can figure out what's next after dinner."

"Okay," Ichigo said. She went and put her new clothes on the bed, and then came back to sit at the table with Kisshu, Anzu, and Higashi. Anzu handed her a plate of what looked like macaroni and cheese, and she took it. "Thanks," she said.

"Sure," Anzu said. "Kisshu, what is this?"

"It's called mac and cheese; it's pasta with cheese sauce," Kisshu said. "Taruto really likes it."

Higashi tried some, and said, "This is really good, you're good at cooking."

"Thanks Dad," Kisshu said. He dug into his plate; Ichigo and Anzu were already eating.

Eventually they finished dinner, and Higashi said, "Kisshu, you should get to bed; it's already eight."

"Okay," Kisshu said. "I am kind of tired."

"Ichigo, do you want to stay up, or go to bed?" Anzu asked.

"I'll go to bed; I'm kind of tired too," Ichigo said.

"Did we forget to ask for nightclothes?" Anzu asked worriedly.

"It's fine, I brought my own pajamas just in case," Ichigo said. "I also brought all the underthings I own."

"Good," Anzu said. "Well, you two can go get ready for bed, then."

"Okay," Kisshu said. He and Ichigo got up, and went to their room. "Koneko-chan, do you want me to show you where the bathroom is, so you can change?" Kisshu asked.

"You're not going to be perverted and tell me we should change together?" Ichigo asked dryly.

"With my parents around? Of course not," Kisshu said.

Ichigo giggled and opened her suitcase, then took out her pajamas and looked at Kisshu. He smiled and led her to the bathroom, then left. Ichigo changed and went back to their room, carrying her new clothes and boots.

Kisshu looked up as she came in and asked, "You're not taking your hair ribbon out?"

"Oh…." Ichigo said. She undid the ribbon securing her braid, but left the braid as it was. Noticing Kisshu looking at her, she said, "I'll leave the braid in; my hair will get tangled up otherwise."

"Okay," Kisshu said. "Let's get in bed."

Ichigo got into bed with him, and as they were settling down, Anzu came in and said, "Good night, you two."

"Night Mom," Kisshu said sleepily.

"Good night Aunt Anzu," Ichigo said.

Anzu smiled and turned out the light on her way out, as Ichigo and Kisshu fell asleep curled up.

**So it took a long time, but I finally got this finished. This is NOT the end of this story, I've got more ideas. Please review!**


End file.
